Sange says a lot in purely instrumental album

By DAVID MALACHOWSKI

Friday, March 16, 2012

ARTIST: Joe Sanges

ALBUM: "The Path Least Taken" (no label listed)

Guitar instrumentals have come and gone and come back over the last few decades, from Chet Atkins, Link Wray and Dick Dale to the Allman Brothers Band, Jeff Beck, and more modern players like Joe Satriani, Steve Vai and Allan Holdsworth.

Now an impressive guitarist based in Gloversville, Joe Sanges comes out blazing in "The Path Least Taken."

A purely instrumental album, Sanges -- who also plays bass and keyboards -- is joined here by drummer Carl Marucci and guitarist John Readdean.

With "Funk Foot," Sanges explodes with a flurry of fluid notes, bends, trills, volume swells and over a juicy Jeff Beck-like instrumental setting.

His technique is solid and inventive; songwriting is thoughtful; and production restrained.

"Cingo Dimayo" is a bit more turbulent and exotic. Title-track "The Path Least Taken" is filled with slinky guitar lines and a yearning melody.

"Tuesday Point Of View" is a fiery funk workout, with double-stops on the bass and a high flying solo, while "Yellow Tail" is dramatic with it's stair-step changes and crying guitar solos.

Shredder Sanges does what every instrumentalist strives for, he says a lot without a word.

David Malachowski is a guitarist, producer and freelance journalist living in Woodstock. The Freeman seeks CDs by local artists or artists appearing locally for review. Please send all CDs (please, no CD-Rs or demo CDs) to Daily Freeman c/o Preview, 79 Hurley Avenue, Kingston, N.Y. 12401